May 17th The Feast Of Ambarvalia

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IN ROMAN MYTHOLOGY," DEA DIA" IS AN ANCIENT GODDESS OF THE FIELD AND GROWTH. SHE RULED OVER GRAIN AND CEREAL PRODUCTS. HER NAME LITERALLY MEANS THE "DEITY." SHE HAD A SACRED GROVE OF LAUREL AND OAK TREES WHICH WERE LOCATED ALONG THE RIVER TIBER. THE WORSHIP OF THIS GODDESS TOOK PLACE IN A GROVE. SHE WAS REVERED BY THE" ARVAL," A ROMAN PRIESTHOOD OF THE TWELVE "BRETHERN," WHICH WAS ONCE A POWERFUL A POWERFUL BROTHERHOOD THAT PRAYED TO MARS, TO PROTECT CROPS FROM PLAGUE, AND TO THE "DEA DIA", FOR CROP FERTILITY. BY THE LATE "REPUBLIC", THEIR POWERS WERE REDUCED AND MEMBERSHIP WAS DECLINING.

THE PRIESTHOOD HONORED" DEA DIA" AT THE "FEAST OF AMBARVALIA" WHICH IS HELD ON THE 17TH, 18TH, AND 19TH OF MAY. DURING THIS FESTIVAL, SEVERAL OTHER DEITIES WERE ALSO INVOKED INCLUDING THE LARES, AS PROTECTORS OF THE NEWLY SPROUTED CROPS, AND MARS, WHO HAD AGRICULTURAL ATTRIBUTES BEFORE HE BECAME THE GOD OF WAR. HENCE, IT WAS HIS FUNCTION AS PROTECTOR OF THE SEEDS THAT WAS INVOKED HERE.

DURING THESE DAYS, THE PRIESTS BLESSED THE FIELDS AND MADE OFFERINGS TO THE POWERS OF THE "UNDERWORLD". ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE FESTIVAL, BEGINNING AT DAWN, THE "BRETHERN" OFFERED INCENSE, FRUITS, AND WINE TO "DEA DIA". IN THE AFTERNOON, ALL GATHERED FOR A BANQUET, FOLLOWED BY THE DISTRIBUTION OF PERFUMES AND CROWNS"." ON THE SECOND DAY, WHICH WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT OF THE THREE, SEVERAL SACRIFICES WERE MADE IN HER SACRED GROVE. LATER, THE PRIESTS RETURNED TO THE TEMPLE AND RECITED THE HYMN," FRATRES ARVALES." THIS SIMPLE HYMN IS ALMOST THE ONLY SURVIVAL OF INDIGENOUS LATIN VERSE. THE ENGLISH VERSION IS BY JOHN DUNLOP.

"YE LARES, AID US! MARS, THOU" God of might,
From murrain shield the flocks -the flowers from blight.
For thee, O Mars! a feast shall be prepared,
Salt, and a wether chosen from the herd:
Invite, by turns, each Demigod of spring.
Great Mars, assist us! Triumph! Triumph sing I.

ON THE THIRD DAY, THE "BRETHERN" ANNOINTED HER STATUE, AND THE FESTIVITIES INCLUDED YET ANOTHER OFFERING OF INCENSE AND WINE, AND EARS OF GRAIN WERE OFFERED TO HER.
MEANWHILE, TO INSURE FERTILITY AND DISPERSE EVIL, EACH FARMER LED MEMBERS OF HIS HOUSEHOLD AND A SACRIFICIAL BEAST IN A PROCESSION AROUND THE BOUNDARIES OF HIS FIELDS.

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